The former music journo on bringing a 'semi-punk rock' view to food

What happens when you take a witty, music journalist-turned-food writer and place him in front of Food Network cameras?

You get Crave, a food road show with a sense of humor -- something normally absent from the network catered to stay-at-home mothers and aspiring chefs. Hosted by San Diego native Troy Johnson, the Riviera Magazine senior editor spent eight weeks traveling the country and providing viewers with a variety of 30-minute food biographies.

Johnson is no stranger to the TV camera. He hosted a local award-winning music show for six years called Fox Rox and was the host of the San Diego Padres pregame show. Until his boss at Riviera assigned him the beat, food was the last thing on Johnson's radar; at the time, he jokingly said it's "for people that are one Ambien away from death."

Yet, his transition was a smooth one, as he won multiple writing awards in San Diego and Orange County and proved that great writers can adapt to any environment....

The How to Pitch series is worth its weight in gold. In just the first month I'd already benefited enough to consider the cost of joining well worth it. -- Gaen Murphree